Can punch



1961 J. T. LANCASTER 2,995,819

CAN PUNCH Original Filed June '7, 1954 INVENTOR.

JOH N T. LAN CASTER BY WW ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,995,819 CAN PUNCH John T. Lancaster, Los Angeles, Calif. (20231 Dammon Ave., Harper Woods, Mich.)

Substituted for abandoned application Ser. No. 434,751,

June 7, 1954. This application Nov. 17, 1958, Ser.

9 Claims. (Cl. 30-16) This invention relates to devices for opening containers and more particularly to a can punch.

The conventional can punch is provided with a hooklike part for engaging the lip or flange about theend of the can to be opened. However, many products, such as condensed milk, are marketed in cans which are not flanged at the ends so that the conventional can punch cannot be used. .One object of this invention is toprovide a can punch which is adapted readily and easily to ops: a can by punching whether or not it has flanged en Another object of this invention is to provide a can punch which is inexpensive to manufacture, durable, and safe and easy to operate.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Patented Aug. 15, 1961 the end wall. When the front end of the can punch is rocked downwardly about the junction 28 as a fulcrum pivot, the cutter element 14 will cut a hole in the end wall and assume the dotted line position of FIG. 1. Since the fulcrum pivot established by junction 28 is of substantial width, the can punch is extremely stable and will not slip or twist during punching.

The main portion 16 of the plate 12 has an enlarged portion indicated at 32 extending forwardly beyond the cutter element against which the heel of the hand may be conveniently placed to apply pressure. The portion 26 may be grasped between the fingers of the other hand.

It will be noted that cutter element 14 is formed with a shoulder 34 extending at right angles to the front edge 22 to limit the distance the cutter element may pene- Hate the can. V

The can punch illustrated in FIGS. 4-6 is indicated generally at 40, and comprises an elongated body member 42 likewise in the form of a relatively thin plate, and

a cutter element 44. I

The cutter element 44 is in the form of a relatively thin plate having a flat body part 46 secured as by welding or riveting etc., to the underside of the main body portion. 48 of plate :42 adjacent the front end thereof.

, Cutter element 44 has a prong integrally connected to FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a can punch embodying my invention, shown in operative relation to a can, the. position of the punch after the hole has been punched being shown in dotted lines;

FIGURES 2 and 3 are respectively bottom plan and end elevational views of the can punch shown in FIG- l URE 1; 7

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of a modified can punch;

FIGURES 5 and 6 end elevational views of the can punch shown in FIG- URE 4; y g a FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of a further modification of my can punch;

FIGURE 8 is a bottom plan view of the can punch showninFIGURE 7; and. I

. FIGURE 9 is a sectional 9-9 of FIGURE 7. I I

Referring now more particularly to the drawings,'and

view takenjalong the line are respectively'bottom plan and V especially to FIGS. 13, the can punch there illustrated is generally indicated at 10 and comprises an elongated body member 12 in the form of a relatively thin plate, preferably ofmetal, and a' cutter element 14.

The cutter element 14 is secured, asvby welding, or riveting, etc. to'the underside of the main bodyportion 16,.ofthe'plate'adjacent'the front end thereof and projects downwardly'therefrom. "Ihecutter element 14, is of generally,diamondcross section. .The bottom end of the cutter element'is'defined by an inclined plane surface 18 which intersects the'front sides 20 of the cutterelement, ,the intersection of said inclined surface and front sides of the cutter element defining cutting edges which intersect the front edge 2201? the cutter element at a commonpoint.

'I'he'plate '12-ha-sa downwardly and rearwardly. extending portion 24 integrally connecting into the'rear "end of main body portion 16, and upwardly and rearwardly extending portion 26 integrally connects into the lower end of said downwardly and rearwardly extending portion. The junction 28 between the portions 24 and 26 constitutes a fulcrum pivot of substantial width for a purpose to be described.

The can punch 10 is shown in FIG. 1 on the end wall 29 of a can 30 to be opened. It will be noted that the can 30 has no flange or lip about the end wall of the can and that the can punch 10 merely rests on the lower end of the down-turned portion of the body part 46 projecting forwardly and downwardly from the latter in a courve, the side edges 50 of the'prong comprising cutting edges tapering to a point, v n

Integrally. connecting .into the rear end of the main body portion 48 is a rearwardly and upwardly extending portion 52, in general like portion 26 of punch 10. The junction 54 between portions 48 and 52 is of substantial width to provide a stable fulcrum pivot, and the front end of the main body portion 48 is enlarged, as shown at 56, to receive punching pressure from the hand. 7

The can punch illustrated in FIGS. 79 is generally indicated at 60 and comprises an elongated body member 62 likewise in the form of a relatively thin plate, and a cutter element 64. Cutter element 64 is secured as by welding or. riveting, etc., to the underside of the main body portion 65 of plate 62 adjacent to butspaced from the front end thereof and projects downwardly. In the particular embodiment shown, the cutter element has a rivet head 65' at the upper end riveted in an aperture at the front end of the main body portion 65. The cutter element 64 is substantiallythe same as that indicated at 14 in FIG. 1, being of generally diamond cross-section. In addition, the cutter element isformed with a circular boss 67 which may be gripped, during the riveting operation. The bottom end of the cutter element 6.4 defined by the flat inclined surface 66 which intersects the fro nt sides 68 of the cutter element, the intersection of saidinclined surface and front sides of the cutter element defining cutting edges which intersect the front edge 70 at a common point. The shoulder 72 extends at right, angles to the frontedg'e 70 and limits the distance the cutter element can penetrate the can.

Plate 62 has a downwardlyextending portion tegrallv connecting intothe rear end of the main body portion'65, portion 74-being return bent upon itselfto the cutter element. Guide portion 84 is adapted to engage over the side wall of a can when the can piinch is disposed on the end wall of the can, thereby to properly locate the cutter element near the edge of the end wall in proper punching position.

It will be appreciated that each of the can punches described above is dimensioned so that when the fulcrum pivot portion is applied against the end wall of a standard size can, such as a can of condensed milk, the cutter element assumes a position above said end wall near the edge thereof. It should also be understood that the cutter element 44 may be used in connection with the can punches 10 and'60, and that the cutter elements 14 or 64 may be used with the can punch 40, if desired, although these further modifications have not been illustrated. I

What I claim as my invention is: i

1. A can punch comprising an elongated body memher having adjacent its rear end a downturned part adapted to rest upon the end wall of a can before the can is opened to stabilize the punch preparatory to opening a can therewith, and a cutter element secured to said body member adjacent the front end thereof, said cutter element having a cutting edge extending downwardly from said body member for punching a hole in said 'endfwall of the can upon downward rocking movement of the front, end of said body member about said part as a fulcrum pivot f 2. A can punch as defined in claim 1 in which said cutter element has a shoulder spaced upwardly from the cutting edge to limit the distance the cutter element may enter the said end wall during a punching operation and in which said cutting element is solid between the shoulder and said elongated body.

. 3, A can punch as defined in claim 1 in which the front end of said body member immediately over said cutting element presents an enlarged area "on its upper side against which theheel of the hand may be pressed.

4. A can punch comprising a body member in the 'form of an elongated plate having adjacent its'rear end a, downturned portion adapted to rest upon the end wall of a 'can before the can is opened to stabilize the punch preparatory to opening a can therewith, and acutter element secured to said plate adjacent the front end thereof and extending downwardly from said plate, said cutter element having a downwardly facing cutting edge at its lower end for punching a hole in said end wall of "the canupon downward rocking of the front end of said plate about said downturned portion as a fulcrum pivot, 's'aid cutting edge having'a shoulder spaced upwardly from said cutting'edge to liinit the distance the cutter element may enter said'end wall during the punching operation, said cutting element being solid between the shoulder and said elongatedbody. i

I 5. Acan punch 'as defined in claim 4 in which said body member has a solid downturned portion at its front end of substantial width extending downwardly beyond the cutting edge of said cutter element,and in which said cutter element is spaced slightly to the rear of said downturned portion.

6. A canpunch as defined in claim 4 in which said part comprises a downturned portion of said'body member, in which an'upwardly extendingipoftion connects into the lower edge of said downturned portion and extends upwardly beyond said body member, and in which an upwardly and rearwardly inclined portion connects into the upper end of said upwardly extending portion.

7. A can punch comprising a member having a flat plate-like body part with a downwardly and rearwardly extending portion connecting into the rear end of said body part and an upwardly and rearwardly extending portion connecting into the lower end of said downwardly and rearwardly extending portion, said member being adapted to rest upon the end wall of a can along the junction between said portions before and during alpunching operation, and a cutter element secured to the front end of said part and projecting downwardly therefrom having a cutting edge at its lower extremity for punching a hole in the end wall of the can upon downward rocking of the front end of said member about said junction as a fulcrum pivot. p

8. A can punch comprising a member having a flat plate-like body part with a downwardly and rearwardly extending portion connecting into the rear end of said body part and an upwardly and rearwardly extending portion connecting into the lower end of said downwardly and rearwardly extending portion, said member being adapted to rest upon the end wall of a can along the junction between said portions before and during a punching operation, and a cutter element supported adjacent the front end of said body part comprising a downwardly extending bar of diamond shaped cross-section with one diagonal dimension of said diamond shaped cross-section extending in the direction of the longitudinalaxis of said elongated body part, the rear half of said bar being cut away for a substantial distance from the outer end thereof to form a fiat shoulder for use as a stop the front half of said b'ar being inclined rearwardly toward said shoulder to form a cutting element for punching a hole in the end wall of the can upon downward rocking of the front end of said body part aboiit said junction as a fulcrum. 9. A can punch comprisingan elongated body member having adjacentits rear end adownturned part'having a bottom extremity. extending transversely of the body member of substantial width adapted to rest upon the end wall of a can before the can is opened to stabilize the punch preparatory to opening a can therewith, anextension connected into the bottom extremity of the downturned part and extending generally upwardly therefrom, and a cutter element secured to said body member adjacent the front end thereof, said cutter element having a cutting edge extending downwardly'from said bodymembet for punching a holecin said end wall-of the can upon downward rocking movement of't'he -front end of said body member about the bottom extremity of said part as 'a fulcrum pivot. a i

lReferences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hanson -Iuly 15, 1924 1,502,465. 7 Garrett Jrily 22, 192A 2,211,757 Olsen Aug. 20, 1940 2,489,677 Robinson -Nov. 2 9*, 1949 2,499,904 Cooke Mar. 7, 1950 2,569,905 SchwaIk s 0on2, .1951

7 2,584,047. Phillipsi L'Jan. 29, 1952 ,-2 ,649,989 Urbano- .Aug. 25, 1953 2,718,053 Naert 'Sept. 20, 1955 2,741,835 Nagy et a1 Apr. 17, 1956 2,778,103 "Hudson Jan. 22, 1957 Gilbert "septzs, 7195 8 

